Motivational Moments with Maria

I believe in the power of personal development and must constantly challenge and renew my energy and commitment to my clients and myself. December is almost upon us. Thanksgiving has passed and as we move into December I ask you this…have you looked back on the year of 2023, and said WOW...look at all I accomplished this year. Did you take time to congratulate and celebrate your successes...even if they were small wins such as learning how to use Artificial Intelligence or Facetime Live? Or maybe it was learning how to cook for yourself. We must celebrate more. It’s not about achieving the big hairy audacious goal…it’s about taking steps every day to move towards the target. It’s about experiencing the journey and loving the journey. What’s next for YOU? What ambitions do you have for yourself going into 2024? It’s time to regain that zest and love for your job, career, family and fun. What do you BELIEVE is possible? We are at the end of 2023 my friends… the end of the another year…What do YOU BELIEVE is possible for you, your career and your family. It’s time..time to reimagine and take control of your life’s ambitions. It’s time for you to believe that anything is possible. Am I repeating myself……Of course. And why? Because many of you have limiting beliefs that are still holding you back. It’s time to crush them and create new ones. Stay focused, stay positive, and always have fun.

Everyone has a purpose, and my purpose is to provide you with the tools and inspiration you need to stay focused, energetic, disciplined, enthusiastic, and positive. My goal is to empower you to experience boundless excitement, fulfillment, and joy in every area of your life. I want you to wake up each day with the knowledge that you have shown up as your best self, regardless of the challenges that may come your way. And believe me when I say, there have been many lately. I was having a conversation with a friend of mine last week, and she posed these questions: Why do people take so long and think that others should solve their problems? Why is it so hard to light a fire under someone’s ass? When and how do you light a fire under someone’s ass without appearing to be a jerk? You probably have guessed by now that it was a great discussion. It all begins with your brain. Listen in so you better understand this concept. Stay focused, stay positive and always have fun.

Whenever I sit down to write the outline for my podcast, I think of YOU. If I can make a positive impact on your life, it keeps me going. I anticipate someone listening in and saying… thanks for reminding me. It’s my intention to keep you just a little more focused, energetic, disciplined, inspired, and positive I want you to experience more excitement, fulfillment, fun and joy in all areas of your life. The human desires we all have call for it. So my friends, thank you for helping me stay more energetic, PASSIONATE and obsessed ABOUT MY WORK. I appreciate you and all the comments you send. It’s the last day of October so one final reminder: it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Please, oh please, check yourself or get yourself squished. So, my friends, let’s get on with today’s episode. Have you ever witnessed a train setting off on its journey? You look at this massive amount of steel and think to yourself…how can this thing move? You can hear the hiss of the steam as it builds up, reaching the pistons and slowly but surely, the wheels begin to turn, and you witness in awe as this massive machine starts rolling down the tracks. As the train, rolls down the track building speed, it gets stronger, more powerful, and builds momentum. You cannot easily stop it. It can plow through a concrete wall and keep on going once it has built up its’ momentum.

Welcome, my friends, to another captivating episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. I'm Crazy Coach Maria, and words cannot express the immense thrill and honor I feel knowing that you have chosen to tune in. Your feedback and suggestions have meant the world to me, and I encourage you to continue sharing them. Together, we are on an incredible journey of personal growth and transformation. It’s still October and that means it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Please, oh please, get yourself checked. Oh, by the way every day in October I wear PINK to continue to bring awareness. So, go on and check yourself. To all you guys...encourage the women in your life to check in! Let's start with a question or two: How many of you love to dance? Do you even like to dance? What about music? Do you like to listen to music? This past weekend I attended my nephew’s wedding and of course I danced my heart out and I thought about today’s subject. The dance analogy is so perfect. Have you ever gone dancing and were a little reluctant to get up and do your thing to the music? When you first get up to dance you may feel a little awkward and it takes a little bit of time to get with the rhythm of the music. Pretty soon you find yourself feeling the music, warming up to the dance and fully immersed in your activity. You are now in the flow of the song and your body is in concert with the music. When the next song starts up you are already in momentum and feeling the groove, and may step it up a notch. That’s when your cool moves begin to show up. As the music further penetrates your soul you lose yourself in the rhythm and flow of the dance. Time stands stills and when the song is over, you feel energized, and in some cases totally spent. The movements are so easy and natural. You feel GREAT! You are in your natural rhythm and flow.

Yes, you can have what you truly desire and change your life. It was not always this way for Zehra Mahoon. She has focused her time, energy and passion on creating an abundant life. Listen in as she shares her story and how she has manifested her life by design using the tools and techniques from her Law of Attraction research and studies. As always, stay focused, stay positive and have fun.

Welcome, my friends, to another captivating episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. I'm Crazy Coach Maria, and words cannot express the immense thrill and honor I feel knowing that you have chosen to tune in. Your feedback and suggestions have meant the world to me, and I encourage you to continue sharing them. Together, we are on an incredible journey of personal growth and transformation. Everyone has a purpose, and my purpose t is to provide you with the tools and inspiration you need to stay focused, energetic, disciplined, enthusiastic, and positive. My goal is to empower you to experience boundless excitement, fulfillment, and joy in every area of your life. I want you to wake up each day with the knowledge that you have shown up as your best self, regardless of the challenges that may come your way. Moreover, this podcast fuels my own energy, enthusiasm, and passion for the work I do. It is a constant reminder of the profound impact we can have on each other's lives as we embark on this journey of personal growth together. Here is you question this week. What do you do to decompress? Many of you have asked me how I decompress after a long day of work. Today I will share 8 ideas on how you can decompress. We all have a lot of chaos going on. You may have children running around the house all day, slinging diapers and toys around, you may have a high-powered stressful job that requires your full attention, or you may be a caretaker. It seems like every time we turn around, there is something to do. While decompressing may not fix your daily stresses, it can help you from becoming frustrated and angry at life. By making time to release this negative energy, you're contributing to a healthier mind and body. Listen in for some ideas. Stay focused, stay positive and always have fun.

On this week's episode I had the pleasure of interviewing, Chrissy Boyce, Neuro-Transformation Life Coach. From homeless, to hopeful to happy, Chrissy will inspire you to understand the importance of clarity and emotional intelligence in your life. She has navigated through life as though she was piloting a supersonic jet. She has helped others “de-junk” the mental clutter, and gain the clarity and tools needed to create forward momentum and success in all areas of their lives. Join me for a conversation with Chrissy. Stay focused, stay positive, and always have fun.

Welcome, my friends, to another captivating episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. I'm Crazy Coach Maria, and words cannot express the immense thrill and honor I feel knowing that you have chosen to tune in. Your feedback and suggestions have meant the world to me, and I encourage you to continue sharing them. Together, we are on an incredible journey of personal growth and transformation. The purpose of this podcast is to provide you with the tools and inspiration you need to stay focused, energetic, disciplined, enthusiastic, and positive. My goal is to empower you to experience boundless excitement, fulfillment, and joy in every area of your life. I want you to wake up each day with the knowledge that you have shown up as your best self, regardless of the challenges that may come your way. Moreover, this podcast fuels my own energy, enthusiasm, and unwavering passion for the work I do. It is a constant reminder of the profound impact we can have on each other's lives as we embark on this journey of personal growth together. In today's episode, we dive into the realm of deepening your most important relationships. It is a dedication to the person who lifts my spirits, believes in me wholeheartedly, and constantly inspires my own personal growth. He is the wind beneath my wings. Listen in and create your own tribute to your partner. Stay focused, stay positive, and always have fun.

My goal with this podcast is to help you stay more focused, energetic, disciplined, enthusiastic, and positive so YOU can experience more excitement, fulfillment, and joy in all areas of your life. My desire is that you live each day to the fullest and know that your best self-showed up…no matter what. It also helps me stay more energetic, enthusiastic passionate, and obsessed about my work. Today I am going to give you some work to do so maybe take some notes. Grab a pen or pencil if you can or come back to this later. Personal growth is about knowing who we are, what brings us joy in our life and how we can introduce even more happiness. Call me an optimist, call me Mary Poppins, call me Pollyanna, call me whatever you choose but know this. THIS IS ME. I am the cheerleader, I am the encourager, I am the one who sees the positive, I am a believer, and yes, I am also a realist. I own my identity and don’t try to be something I am not. I have had enough people in my life telling me to shut up, to calm down and I so got over that years ago. I have learned a lot of lessons over the years, made plenty of mistakes, and every year I realize how important is to continue to be yourself, do what makes you smile, and live your life with zest. Research proves that those with a sunny disposition and optimistic attitude live 15% longer in life. That's another decade my friends. So here is the question for you. How do you live your life? How much zest do you truly have in your life. The VIA Institute on character defines ZEST this way: Zest means approaching a situation, or life in general, with excitement and energy, not approaching tasks or activities halfway or halfheartedly. People who are high in zest are excited to get up in the morning, and they live their lives like an adventure. Zest is a dynamic strength that is directly related to physical and psychological wellness. This strength has the strongest ties to overall life satisfaction and a life of engagement.

Here is the question of the week. Have you ever been stuck? Do you find yourself ever getting stuck? Those moments when you can’t seem to go forward or backwards. When I was a kid – ok that’s a long time ago…I was stuck in the mud in my rain boots up to my knees. I could not move. I couldn’t have been more than 7 or 8 and my brother had to rescue me. I was stuck and could not move forward or backwards. My boots are probably sitting there at the bottom of the reservoir that was being built. I was STUCK! I may have been in a lot of trouble for losing those boots. That’s a simple description of being stuck, but have you ever felt like you are on a merry go round and can’t seem to jump off. You have a sense of stuckness and are afraid to make the leap off that merry go round. It seems as though you keep repeating the same things over and over and the same scenery keeps showing up. Why is that and where does this stuckness come from? I am sure you have had plenty of conversations with yourself about this. I know I have. It comes from our OLD CONDITIONING…what’s happened is we have created these deep mental grooves in our brain and our mind is conditioned to stay in DEFAULT MODE. The brain searches those grooves and voila, I know what I am supposed to do and then executes. Now, default mode can be good because our brain shoots into default mode for most activities in life such as eating, driving, brushing your teeth, and all the normal routines of life. However, DEFAULT MODE also keeps you stuck in the past because Your brain is trying to protect you at all times. It does not want to let go of our stubborn beliefs and habits. Listen in for some ideas on how to stretch and get out of stuckness. Stay focused, stay positive and always have fun.

Hello my friends and welcome to Motivational Moments with Maria. I’m Crazy Coach Maria and thrilled to be here with you. Have you ever had a day where you felt like you didn't accomplish anything? Do you find yourself getting bogged down by the daily details and distractions of life? Then you get all upset that you didn’t accomplish what you set out to do. Guess what? You are not alone. As much as we may want to be high performers who consistently hit our goals, the truth is that everyone faces setbacks and distractions, and I am right there with you. One of the biggest challenges of productivity is staying on track. It's easy to have a set schedule and a clear set of goals, but sticking to them can be difficult. We're constantly faced with things that divert our attention, whether it's a random phone call or a co-worker asking for help on a project. I call those the “got a minute” distractions. Many of us, including me, go into overwhelm when you start letting your brain think of all the things you have to or want to get done. How do we get more done. Well, the first thing I would like you to consider is identifying the enemies of getting things done NOW. There are 3 most common enemies. Listen in.

I am speaking to you again from the beautiful Island of Hawaii. I believe we all need some down time to re-charge and re-juvenate and I make it a point that every 3 months I take some time to do it. Do You? The pace of life in Hawaii is much more relaxed and I really appreciate the Hawaiian culture, values and spirit. This is my happy place because the aloha spirit is everywhere. I decided to do some further research on the Hawaiian value system and to ask you the following question. What do you truly value and when was the last time you sat down and wrote down your values; what you truly appreciate in your life. Our lives are busy, and many times we simply go through the motions to get through the day. I have been somewhat challenged this week as I have been taking care of my 3 youngest grandchildren for 9 days on my own and what I appreciate is the smiles and laughter and innocence they have. I have had to stop, be fully present and get into a rhythm and flow with the grandkids and remind myself of my own personal values. Our values provide direction and core values are our fundamental beliefs. Here on the islands, he Hawaiian value system determines priorities, guides their interactions with others, establishes their behavior and is centered around the Hawaiian culture and traditions. On today’s episode I am going to share some Hawaiian words and define them for you. These may be something to consider for your own life. We are all familiar with the word aloha which is used by islanders and visitors alike. Here are the Hawaiian values, some you are familiar with and others you may not have heard. Listen in.

ALOHA and Welcome my friends to another episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. I’m your host, energetic, loving and High-Performance Coach Maria. I am honored that you are listening in today. I believe every day is an incredible day to learn and grow. I wake up every morning and say thank you to all the gods and spirits of the world for letting me wake up on the right side of the sod. I am fired up today so sorry if I am more energetic than normal. I am surrounded by those I love on this beautiful island. I am speaking to you today from the beautiful Island of Hawaii…..also known as the Big Island. As I was sitting on the lanai watching the palm trees swaying and listening to the geckos and birds chirping I said to myself…..I am so grateful to the have the freedom to be here. That prompted me to reflect even more on what our freedom is worth and what it means to me. So, here it comes… yes, the question of the week. How much is your freedom worth and what does freedom mean to you? Here in the US we are celebrating our country’s Independence Day, and I thought this might be a great topic to discuss our own personal freedom and what that means to you. How much is your personal independence worth? What are you willing to sacrifice or do to have more freedom and the time to allow your creative expression to emerge and do the things you truly enjoy? Join me for some thoughts on declaring your own independence. Stay focused, stay positive and always have fun. Coach Maria

It’s always my intention to give you some thoughts as we continue on our personal growth and personal development journeys. My hope is that you discover more about yourself, what makes you happy and how to have more joy in your life. Recently one of my clients expressed some dissatisfaction with her work environment and said she was feeling “burnt out.” She said, “I can’t do this anymore.” This caught my attention and I had to do some further research on this one. Have you ever experienced workplace burnout? I would not be surprised if you said yes. I know throughout my career I have experienced some level of burnout. As a matter of fact I even remember myself saying, “I can’t do this anymore.” And so, I didn't. I walked away. What I learned through this burnout set me up for a new chapter in my life. I also learned with with the right skills and knowledge, you can get through burnout and avoid it. This burnout doesn’t always appear in the workplace. You may be experiencing burnout at home, taking care of a sick family member or raising children alone or simply stressing out with the daily tasks of running a household. The World Health Organizations defines burnout as an occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress and who hasn’t felt some sort of stress that has NOT been managed? Listen in for tips on avoiding burnout. Stay focused, stay positive and always have fun.

It’s always my intention to give you some thoughts as we continue on our personal growth and personal development journeys. My hope is that you discover more about yourself, what makes you happy and how to have more joy in your life. Let’s begin today with a question. What are your own unique strengths? Are you aware of them and do you use them? Today I want to take on Embracing Your Unique Strengths and using your unique strengths to achieve your goals and desires while enjoying a fulfilling and joyful life. Let’s explore how embracing your individual strengths can help you live a more purposeful and satisfying life. Your character strengths are the positive parts of your personality that make you feel energized and engaged. And, when we are energized and engaged, we are willing to take on more. some days, even when your work is done, you are still energized. You have tapped into your strengths. But first, we must go on a treasure hunt. We must seek out and know what our unique strengths are. Research shows that individuals who know and use their strengths a lot are 18 times more likely to be flourishing. Each of us has unique talents and abilities that make us stand out from a crowd. You could be a great communicator, a great problem solver or are highly creative. Stay focused, stay positive and always have fun.

It’s always my intention to give you some thoughts as we continue on our own personal growth and personal development journeys. My hope is that you discover more about yourself, what makes you happy and how to have more joy in your life. I know that it can be difficult to stay focused on your goals when the chaos of the world is working against you. Here is what happens: you get some bad news, or someone doesn’t respond to you as quickly as you would like and you begin to question yourself, your skill level, and your capabilities. The ants start creeping up…yes the automatic negative thoughts and you begin to lose your edge,... that thing that separates you from mediocrity. Listen up my friends, you and I are no different than all high performers. We all have dreams, big or small and sometimes it feels like we’ve been spinning our wheels lately. We put out the important fires and it can be difficult to focus on the future when you feel like your day-to-day is out of control. You don’t need a new plan; you need to regain your edge by focusing on what's important and being persistent in taking action. Your unique edge is when you are physically and mentally challenged but you are balanced and at ease. Nothing seems to stop you. Your edge is about exploring your limits and stepping in to your own power.

Every week my messages are delivered to help you stay just a little more focused, disciplined, inspired, and positive so YOU can create more excitement, fulfillment, and joy in all areas of your life. There is a ton of chaos and stress in our lives and we sometimes need a reminder to appreciate more and stay the course. I really believe we all need someone cheering us on and encouraging us to be better each and every day. This week’s session is a little different, and it begins with a question. How do YOU react when you lose a friend, a colleague, a relative or someone you admire? Today is a fitting day because it is Memorial Day. It’s a day that we honor our fallen heroes, those that served our country and made the biggest sacrifice, allowing us to enjoy the freedom we have. We remember those who gave their lives in defense of our freedom, our values, and our way of life. We are forever indebted to these heroes and their families, who have sacrificed so much for our nation. Their courage, dedication, and selflessness will never be forgotten, and their legacy will continue to inspire us for generations to come. We also lost a legend this week. Join me as I pay tribute to those who served and a woman who inspired me.

Several of you asked me what I mean by high performance coaching. Permit me the opportunity to explain. In my world of coaching high performers, we focus on developing a growth mindset, maintaining good habits, great relationships, and how to maintain focus and discipline and more. Coaching to high performance is a process that leads you to discovery, decision making, improving performance and overall better living. When these are in alignment, the overall satisfaction with life increases. It truly all begins with your mindset. So here comes the question of the week. Do you have a magical growth mindset or a fixed mindset? Now some of you are probably saying, I am sick and tired of hearing about this mindset issue but let me tell you my friends, everything begins here. What the heck is mindset and how does it impact you? Can your mindsets change? Well first we must look at the definition of mindset… I went to the experts… Webster’s dictionary to get the definition. According to Webster, Mindset is a mental attitude of inclination. Mindsets help us understand how a person approaches problem solving and overcoming challenges. Think of them as your basic instinct and your survival mechanism. According to Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck – “what you believe about yourself plays a pivotal role in what you want and whether or not you achieve it. She has done the pioneering work on how our mindset predicts our potential, particularly when it comes to success and failure. Her research has also shown that those with a growth mindset are more resilient, less easily discouraged and persevere longer and harder than those with a fixed mindset. Join me as I share some insights on developing a magical growth mindset.

Mother's Day is more than once a Year. Why is it that we only celebrate the most important woman in our life only one day a year? Today I am going to challenge you to honor this person throughout the year. It's not one and done and then you don't have to worry about it for the rest of the year. Someone that has had such an impact on your life deserves to b honored more than once a year. Listen in for my short message today and as always, stay focused, stay positive and have fun.

The topic we are taking on today is self-reliance. If you're like me, you've probably heard the phrase "self-reliance" before. But what does it mean? You are probably asking yourself, what does it have to do with me? Well, I'm glad you asked! Let's talk about the meaning of self-reliance and how it can help you live a more meaningful and better life. Merriam Webster defines self-reliance simply as “reliance on one’s own efforts and abilities. But it’s really so much more than that. Self-reliance is just the idea that an individual can be their own source of strength. It's not about relying on others for help or support—it's about knowing that you have everything inside of you to do whatever needs to be done. Now I am not saying you isolate yourself from others but what I am saying is that you truly do have everything you need within yourself to achieve your desires. In 1848 the great philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson published an essay entitled Self-Reliance. It contains Emerson’s beliefs and perspectives on how society negatively impacts our growth. He argues strongly that self-reliance, self-trust, and individualism, amongst other things, are ways that we can avoid the conformity imposed upon us. Or, he also argues, that we quite frequently impose upon ourselves. Yes, we do that a lot to ourselves. You know it and I know it. Listen in for some thoughts and ideas on how to increase your healthy self-reliance concepts. As always, stay focused, stay positive and have fun.